


sleepover call

by titaniumsansa



Series: A Softer World [18]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: A softer world - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inspired By A Softer World, Oneshot, Pre-Canon, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Sleepovers, Snaibsel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:56:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25830940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titaniumsansa/pseuds/titaniumsansa
Summary: With the call, Zatara knows there will be a sleepover in his living room.Based off a Softer World prompt. Snaibsel. All oneshots in the series are unrelated, can be read without reading others.
Relationships: Artemis Crock/Zatanna Zatara, Giovanni "John" Zatara & Zatanna Zatara
Series: A Softer World [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/796737
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	sleepover call

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunkelles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunkelles/gifts).



> The prompt for this fic is:
> 
> "The sleepover's an integral part of a young girl's social life. My friends are here to talk about boys and laugh. I'm here because my father locked me out again. (smiling fights the lonely monster)"
> 
> https://www.asofterworld.com/index.php?id=32

Her dad will say yes. She knows it like the way he'll ask if Artemis has been harmed. There will be tension in his shoulders, his knuckles white. Her caring father's eyes will be full of rage at the thought. 

"Not physically." 

The words _this time_ are unspoken but her father hears them all the same.

"She said she got kicked out. He has," Zatanna pauses. Rephrasing Artemis's colorful language is always an interesting challenge.

"Company over. She didn't specify which kind and I didn't ask. She said she didn't want to be alone," Zatanna finishes delicately.

"Send her on her way to your meeting place. Call a few of your friends. Olivia and Catherine, maybe," her father suggests. He watches her say a few more reassuring words into the phone before setting it back onto the cradle. 

She disappears to Gotham and he gets Artemis's things. Some of them are things she brought over and some are things they bought her. It wouldn't do for her to be the only girl without an overnight bag after all. He suggested two of her nice but unobservant friends. Zatanna will likely ask to have Artemis over for the rest of the weekend and he won't disagree. Some of her friends he's disagreed with for various reasons in the past. He'll disagree with a few in the future, without a doubt. 

Artemis is good for Zatanna. She understands what life in the shadow of a parent is like and she's always encouraging Zatanna to maintain her studies in magic. It's nice to be able to send Zatanna to go shopping with someone he knows is responsible and capable.

Even in Gotham, he doubts anything will happen with the pair of them together. Zatanna enjoys being able to shop with another girl and Giovanni doesn't enjoy debating dresses or lip gloss with his daughter as much as Artemis does.

As he sets the bag down in the living room Zatanna favors for sleepovers, far enough away from the library and the study, he thinks of the calendar in the kitchen. 

Six years are almost up. Zatanna is already checking over her friend, asking if she wants anything to eat or drink. A change of clothes isn't needed this time, no magic or stain treatment needed to get blood out this time.

A month. Artemis hopefully has a month left and she's told the Zataras of her daily letters to her mother. 

Paula Nguyen must know of him, if not by name, then by his deeds. While Artemis and Zatanna haven't even hit the driving age, he knows they will be lifelong friends.

He's seen it looking back in his own relationships. Artemis is a girl who values and rewards loyalty. 

He doubts many know her as well as he and Zatanna do. It's a show of vulnerability. He has a flash of anger as he wonders where Sportsmaster thinks Artemis is. He likely doesn't care, treating his daughter like an outdoor cat. At least the cats of Gotham have Catwoman to care for them.

 _She has you and Zatanna_ , he reminds himself. Soon enough, Artemis will have her mother back.

He will give Paula Nguyen a warm welcome back into society. Anything she needs, a place to stay, a good divorce lawyer, a listening ear, anything at all.

He has the money and she's afraid one day that Artemis won't call their house phone again. Sportsmaster is violent and controlling. He does not view Artemis as his daughter, but as a tool, a possession to keep. 

A thought hits him. Zatanna would agree easily enough, but Artemis has always been a bit of a wild card. If Paula keeps Artemis near Sportsmaster, he'll do whatever he needs to in order to gain custody. The idea of Artemis in a body bag, barely older than his daughter, lights a wave of anger in him. 

Artemis shoots him a smile that's equal parts embarrassed and grateful. 

"Zatanna, you should call Catherine and Olivia," he reminds her. Zatanna nods, walking to the other room. Artemis defined her personal space long ago, so he doesn't venture too close before he hits in another armchair.

"Before I begin, I want to tell you that you're not in trouble in any way and this is not a punishment," he begins. 

Artemis raises an eyebrow, arms crossed not in defiance, but in self-protection.

"I want your blessing for me to tell Batman of your situation. Zatanna and I love you dearly, but we are in New York. I would sleep better at night knowing someone else in your city was also looking out for you," he admits.

Artemis pauses to take that in, blinking. She breaks his gaze to study the pattern of the familiar carpet under their feet. Artemis is sharp as a knife, he knows the gears in her brain are spinning.

"And I know your mother gets out in a month. I would be delighted to meet her. Batman could keep an eye out for you both. You don't have to give me an answer right now, but I want you to consider it."

She's also proud like her father, stubborn too, but that might come from both of her parents, he muses. Zatanna returns with a grin, announcing that Olivia and Catherine are on their way.

 _Artemis doesn't want to be alone,_ he remembers, so he waits until Zatanna settles next to her, distracting her with offering to braid her hair.

//

There's a braid train in his living room and cookies are in the oven.

A cheesy movie is playing in the background, half being paid attention to. 

Artemis catches his eye and nods yes to his earlier question. Olivia is asking Zatanna if she thinks Jake or Josh is cuter, so he nods in return, disappearing to give the girls some space and make a call.


End file.
